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(No Model.) I

R. H. LEWIS.

HINGEDSHOE BUTTON. No. 381,477. Patented Apr. 17, 1888.

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RUSSELL'H. 'LEIVIS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO B. L. HALL& (30., OF SAME PLACE.

HlNGED-SHOE. BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,477, dated April17, 1888,

Application tiled November 8, 1887. Serial No. 254.604. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUSSELL H. LEWIS, of Providence, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hinged-Shoe Buttons, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a class of buttons known as hinged-shoebuttons which are used as jewelry with wearing-apparel.

The objects of my invention are to improve these buttons by making themmore durable and of a better finish, and to facilitate the making of thesame.

To these purposes my invention consists, essentially, in the forkedholding lugs or projections formed integral with the hinge-plate forsecuring the actuating-spring of the hinged shoe in operative position,and in a finishing back plate conforming in outline to the cap of thebutton, and formed with aslot for the leverarms and with recesses forreceiving thejournal-bearings on the hinge-plate and with a centraldepression, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Although I have illustrated my invention as employed with aspecies ofhinged-shoe button known as the lever-arm, it is to be understood thatmy improvements are equally as well applicable to the species of buttonhaving a post fixed to a button-head with a tilting shoe hinged on thepost as they are to the button shown.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have illustratedin the accompanying drawings and will proceed to describe the best formsthereof so far devised by me.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a hingedlever-arm button having my improvements embodied therein, and Fig. 2 isa sectional view of the same, taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the button with the cap and the top plate removed, thedotted lines representing my improved holding projections in an unbentcondition-that is, lying in the plane of the hingeplate, with which theyare integral. Fig. 4 is a side view of the detached top plate, beneathwhich is the hinge-plate with the leverarms secured thereto, and beneaththis is my improved finishing back plate. These several parts arearranged in the order in which they are to be assembled together, thedotted lines representing their relative operative positions. Fig. 5 isa plan view of the top plate. Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views,respectively, of two different shapes of my improved finishing backplate, the former being circular and the latter of a horseshoe outline.

In the said drawings like numbers of reference designate correspondingparts throughout. 7

Referring to the drawings, the number 8 designates the cap proper of thebutton,which is shown as being composed of a metallic annular frame orring with a solid composition setting confined therein. Obviously thiscap, which has not to do with the essence ofmy invention,may be asaucer-like structure of one piece, or may be of any suitable shape tocontain the operative parts, as now to be explained. \Vithin the cap isa soft washer, 9, against which rests the top plate, 10, which coversover the hinge-plate 11, which in turn is held in operative position bymeans of the finishing back plate, 12, the edge or margin of which iscaught and held by the inturned rim of the cap 8.

The hingeplate 11 is formed with the central slot, 13, (see Fig. 3,)upon opposite sides of which are made the journal-bearings 14 for thejournals 15 of the lever-arms 16 to work in. These lever-arms areprovided at each side near their journals with the intermeshing gears17, the office of which, as well known, being to cause one lever-arm torespond to the movements of the other. The actuating-spring 18 isengaged by the inner ends of the leverarms 16, so as to give to the armsa spring action in their movements. This flat or leaf spring is heldsecurely in operative position by my improved holding device, whichforms one part of the present invention, and which 3 consists in theforked or notched holding lugs or projections 19, formed integral withthe hinge-plate 11 and flexed over upon the upper face of such plate, soas to bind one upon each end of the Spring 18, Set across the plate.

;, hinge-plate.

These holding-lugs 19 are cut out with the hinge-plate, as shown indotted lines in Fig. 3, and are then bent over upon the spring, asclearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, and act to prevent any movement ofsuch spring. Especially do they prevent thelateral displacement of thespring. g

Another feature of this invention is the finishing back plate, 12, whichis formed with a central slot, 20, which is not quite so large as thatof the hinge-plate, and upon two opposite sides of such slot are formedthe recesses 21, appropriate to receive the similar shapedjournal-bearings 14 on the under side of the The slot 20 of the backplate is of asuitable shape to allow full play to the lever-arms. Thisback plate is placed directly up against the under face of thehinge-plate, which it supports in position byvirtue ot'having its edgesheld by the inturned rim of the cap, as before alluded to. The centralportion of the back plate is formed with the depression 22, to make aneater fit against the hinge-plate'and to better hold the same. Ifpreferred, the back plate may have its recesses 21 formed to conceal theprotruding teeth of the gears 17. I

In the trade these buttons are ordered with different designs of headsorcaps. For instance, the design might be a plain circular one, like thatshown in Figs. '1 and 2, or it might be the design of a horse hoof orshoe, in which latter case it will be seen that some of the plates inthe button-in the present case the back plate-must be made to conform tothe outline of such design, as shown in Fig. 7. Heretofore it has beenthe custom for makers of these buttons, in which the novel back platehere shown has not been used, to shape the hinge-plate to conform to thecontour of the cap, and then to hinge the lever-arm in such plate, andthen finish the button, with; out, of course, the back plate. In thisway the entire button is made up for a certain order. Now, with the useof my finishing back plate, 12, I can keep instock asmade up and so farcomplete the structure shown detached in Fig. 3 and in the centralillustration of Fig. 4, such part consisting in the hingeplate with thelever-arms mounted therein and the spring set in fixed position, for it'will be seen that with my back plate the hinge-plate may be of anyform, either circu:

lar oroctagonal, and still may be used with any design of cap, since theback plate, 19, is theonly part to be shaped to suit the design peditethe making of these buttons, since the difficult parts to make can bekept on hand ready-made. By the use of my back plate I am also enabledto give asuperior finish to the button, since, instead of beingcompelled to color or plate the same after the button is put together, Ican readily make such a plate out of rolled-gold plate or plated stockwhich needs no finishing process.

' Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the lever-arms and thehinge-plate, formed with journal-bearings for the lever-arms, and thespring for"actuating the arms, the cap for containing the hinge plateand the spring, of the finishing back plate conforming to, the outlineof the cap, and provided with a central slot for the passage of thelever-arms, and formed with de-v pressions to receive thejournal-bearings of the hingeplate, such finishing plate placed againstthe under face of the hinge-plate and concealing the same, and held inposition by the cap, substantially as and for the purpose;

herein described.'

2. The combination, with the hinge-plate or equivalent provided with theintegral forked holding-lu gs 19, of the actuating-spring 18, engagedand held in position by such lugs, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the cap 8 and the slotted hinge-plate 11,having the lever-arms 16 hinged therein, and the spring forthe arms, ofthe finishing back plate, 12, having the slot 20 and formed with therecesses 21 and the depression 22, such back plate held in position bythe trim of the cap and concealing the hinge-plate, substantially as andfor the purpose herein described.

, 4. The combination, with the cap 8, the top plate, 10, set therein,and the hinge-plate 11, having the central slot, 13, and formed with thejournal-bearings l4 and the forked holding-lugs 19, the spring 18, heldby such lugs,

of the lever arms 16, provided with'the journals 15 and having theintermeshing gears.

17, the finishing back plate, 12, having theslot 20, and formed with therecesses 21 and the depression 22 and held in position by the rim of thecap 8, substantially as described.

RUSSELL H. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

J. A. MILLER, Jr., M. F. BLIGH.

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